Haunted by the Past
by stormchaser34neo
Summary: Cloud and Vincent have finally built a friendship into something more. But now someone plots to end that relationship, and Get revenge on Cloud. Someone who doesn't mind using Voncent's life as leverage.
1. Chapter 1

Haunted by the Past- Nightmares

_Cloud watched in horror. He couldn't move, couldn't shout a warning as the black garbed swordsman landed gently. It took less than a second for the sword to swing out, burying itself into the second person Cloud had allowed himself to love. The figure collapsed, limp form held up only by the massive blade. Sephiroth stood a moment, slowly drawing the blade out and increasing the suffering. Cloud still couldn't move; his mind screamed against whatever evil held him motionless as he watched his love's murder. The general finally pulled the sword out, flourishing it the air as he resheathed it, showing the blood tainting it. He flashed a smirk at Cloud before leaping into the skies, cruel laughter ringing out. His departure freed Cloud from whatever torment had held him, and he stumbled as fast as he could to his love's side. There was still a pulse, still some small hope. But at that moment Sephiroth voice echoed through the chamber, sending chills down Cloud's spine._

_"You, slave, are not allowed to love." _

_The chamber was suddenly silent, and Cloud watched the only person he cared about shudder once and lay still, now in the care of the Lifestream. He was dead. Sephiroth had killed him._

_"No! Vincent!"_

Cloud awoke screaming, unchecked tears flowing down his face. He fought against the blankets around him, falling to the floor and stumbling into the adjoining restroom just in time. The swordsman's heart still screamed as he retched, torn by the nightmare it had suffered through. Cloud vaguely realized that he was still weeping as he collapsed against a wall, drawing knees tight to his chest. The blond was so determined to block out the world that he didn't hear the soft footsteps that approached him, and flinched in surprise as pale arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, pulling him to rest against a slender, comforting chest.

"Cloud? What's wrong? What happened?"

At the sound of the voice, Cloud relaxed against the person holding him, burying his face into the person's shoulder. Vincent Valentine ran a gentle hand through the spiked blond hair, feeling the swordsman's silent sobs soak his thin cotton shirt. It was the third time this week that Cloud had awoken with nightmares, but he'd never had a reaction like this. The gunman understood nightmares better than anyone, and knew that Cloud had enough drama in his past to fuel a thousand years of horror. And he knew that Cloud would never wake him up intentionally, which was the reason Vincent had been so startled. The swordsman never wanted to talk about the dreams that plagued him, though Vincent had inquired about them before. After all, releasing the truth of his own nightmares to Nanaki one night on the Highwind had made a difference. He hadn't wanted to burden anyone with the memory of his own sins, but the Cosmo Canyon guardian had been insistent, telling him that the only way to get past the fears were to let them go, and not bottle them up. Vincent could still remember the horror on Nanaki's face when he revealed the extent of Hojo's torture, but it had felt much better to release his troubles.

"Cloud?

The blond swordsman looked up. Vincent. Vincent was there, holding him close. He was alive; Cloud could feel the gunman's heartbeat, a slow, steady beat that showed life, that fended off death. His Vincent was still alive. Sephiroth was still dead, and Vincent was still alive.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright now?"

"I think so."

"Nightmares again?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry I woke you."

"You didn't. Cloud..."

"Please, Vincent, I don't want to talk about it."

The gunman bit back a sigh. It wasn't that he was unhappy with his lover, but he wished that Cloud would realize the relief that confidence brought. No one knew the nightmare world better than Vincent; he had spent 30 years trapped in it's clutches, and had endured most of what the unconscious human psyche could dish out. Consequently, he knew a few behavioral habits that didn't work against nightmares. They included sulking, manic depression, speaking to one's personal demons (literally or metaphorically), choosing to stay in a coffin for extended periods of time, the compulsive collection of fire arms, burying one's phone in the back yard, and chronic self-deprivation. All of the above were bad things symptoms of life, and were usually cured by prolonged exposure to 'cuddle time' with Cloud Strife. Which, said swordsman was happy to provide.

"Vincent?"

The gunman looked into those blue eyes. There were still tears there, and fear. His love was still suffering from his nightmares, and there was nothing Vincent could do to help him. This one problem the swordsman would have to come to terms with on his won, and none of Vincent's almost limitless experience was going to help him.

"Yes, Cloud?"

"Promise you won't leave me?"

Vincent felt a sad smile pulling at his lips, and he ran a hand though those blond spikes.

"I won't, Cloud. I won't."

VxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxCVxC

Cloud didn't sleep again that night, and neither did Vincent. They were usually content with each other's company, but when Cloud decided that Vincent's book was interesting and decided to read over his shoulder, the gunman made an ultimate decision. Well, two ultimate decisions, but deciding not to kill his lover was not a new thing for him.

"Get dressed. If you're not going back to sleep then we might as well do something productive."

"But this chapter is really good!"

"Yes, I know. And if you want to live to see the end of it you will do as I say."

An hour later, dressed for the coolness of the night, they left the apartment. They were going to work getting the manor furnished, a high item on Vincent's priority list. He had used a fraction of his savings (the value of his stocks had skyrocketed during his 'little nap') to rebuild ShinRa Manor on the vast plains between Cosmo Canyon and Midgar. There they would be completely undisturbed by anyone but their friends, which wasn't really a disturbance at all, and then the life that they had planned together would start. Vincent loved the chore, loved working with Cloud as they slowly built the empty shell of a mansion into a home for them and their friends.

Cloud loved getting there. Getting to the site was fastest on Fenrir, and he could use his 'look-at-me-I'm-begging-you' face to get Vincent to ride with him. He loved the feeling of Vincent's arms around his chest, his cloak streaming behind them as Cloud did everything he could to make Vincent cling to him tighter. Of course, there was the one time he had taken a corner way too fast (for Vincent) and the gunman had jumped off the bike and walked the rest of the way. Needless to say, Cloud was not thanked for the incident, and was quite alone for the trip back to Midgar. Which Vincent beat him to.

Lousy über fast runner person.

A/N: Chapter 1 is done! Huzzah, my life has meaning again! In case you noticed (or cared), my current obsession is Final Fantasy VII. I'm sort of a Cloud/Vincent, Vincent/Cid, RudexReno fan so those are what I'll mostly be writing. Thanks much for reading. Please drop a review, even if you just tell me that you read it. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Haunted by the Past- Visitors and Decisions

"I'm telling you that the brocade with mahogany will look better in the library. And since I'm the only one who's ever going to actually go in there, my word is law."

"And I'm saying anyone who gets a _coffin_ renovated has no taste and cannot be trusted with important renovation decisions."

"Are you still upset about that? I told you, it's important to me. The house wouldn't be complete if it wasn't here."

"It's too creepy! We do _not_ need a coffin in the house. Give me one good reason for having a coffin anywhere near the house!"

"Yuffie shall arrive later today."

Silence followed. Vincent knew then that he'd won the argument. He knew that it was one of Cloud's private dreams to lock Yuffie in the coffin after one of her annoyingly thoughtless comments about Vincent being a vampire. And Cloud would let brocade and mahogany adorn the library if he got a chance to lock Yuffie in a coffin. He could almost hear the maniacal laughter echoing through Cloud's mind.

"Alright, brocade and mahogany it is. Hey, have you seen the duck tape? And by the way, what is brocade?"

Vincent only shook his head and walked away, laughing as Cloud went back to plotting Yuffie's doom.

laterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlaterlater

True to prediction, Yuffie arrived just after 9:00 am. She had hitched a ride with Cid and Shera, desperately trying to escape her father and Wutai for awhile. By then Vincent had unpacked everything he needed for decorating and set it in the long formal dining room. He'd tried to place things in some kind of organized manner, but had given up and just piled it all together. Yuffie would have run in and started on her own if Shera hadn't held her back and pointed out that there was still "it" on the Sierra and the ninja ran out to get it. Cid had stomped in behind them, muttering about playing taxi to stupid ninja princesses and shaking Cloud's offered hand. Shera had gone to Vincent, getting instructions for where things went and how they were supposed to be set up. They both knew that Cloud and Cid were probably going to be employed as heavy lifting only. Neither had much skill for decorating.

Barret arrived soon after them, with Tifa, Marlene and Denzel in tow. Tifa was immediately employed with curtains, drapes and colors, while Barret went to help Cloud and Cid with the carrying of furniture and bemoaning of hunger and lack of entertaining activity. Denzel and Marlene used the many empty floors and rooms for all out Hide and seek, and eventually the adults joined in too. And even Vincent had to admit that pelting around the house toward 'Safe' was a lot more fun then he was expecting. But as he chased after Cid, having been named "it", he learned one very important thing:

Chaos wanted to come out and play.

A/N: Wow. That took me a lot longer than I thought it. But I promise that I will use the day off tomorrow to get two, maybe three chapters up. Maybe more, who knows. Thanks a bunch for reading! Drop a review before you go , because they are love.


	3. Chapter 3

Haunted by the Past- Over the River and Through the Woods

_Italics _ Chaos speaking

( ) Galien Beast

Hellmasker

/ Death Gigas

Tifa and Shera offered to cook that night. They were both better and cooking for larger numbers of people than Vincent, so he let them. It was when the others had started a rousing game of Truth of Dare, and he knew he wouldn't be missed, that he snuck upstairs. It was time to have a nice little chat with everyone's favorite demon. The entity had been quiet for a very long time, weeks in fact, and the gunman needed to know exactly why it wanted to come out now. Blood red eyes closed as Vincent summoned up the beast from whatever depths of his mind it dwelled in.

'Chaos. What stirs you.'

_Ah, the semi-immortal returns. So honored you would converse with me._ The demon was ticked off now, and voraciously hungry.

It's been far too long, noble host. Hellmasker did always have a taste for the theatrics.

( That bloody fly's not the only one who wants to feed!)

_You want to say that again, puff ball?_

(Bloody. Fly.)

_Alright, you are so dead!_

( Bring it, fly boy! Whatcha going to do, hit me with your wings?)

_How about dismember you and feed you to the mortal!_ The mortal was Chaos' nickname for Cloud.

As the equivalent of demon battle royal went on between Chaos and the Galien Beast, Vincent couldn't help but laugh. He knew that his demons, despite being ruthless killers of the innocent and often a nuisance, were forever a part of him and had learned to put up with it. They were good for entertainment during long, boring zone approval meetings, and their impressions of various AVALANCHE members could keep Vincent in high spirits for hours, but times like this just made him laugh. He was about to give them a dose of mental punishment and send them back to wherever they dwelled when a calmer entity rose to life. For all that he had not the power of the others, Death Gigas was by far the calmest and more level headed of the four. Vincent had found himself having intelligent and philosophical discussion with the demon. Hard to believe at times, but true. He was not all blood and gore like Hellmasker and Galien Beast, and lacked the biting sarcasm of Chaos. When problems arose, Death Gigas was the one who dealt with them.

/ Vincent Valentine. The others are annoying, yes, but they speak the truth. We all hunger for energy. It has been far too long. /

'Forgive me, Death Gigas.' Vincent murmured, frowning. 'I have lost track of the time since you all were last released.'

_You may have, but I have not. I'm feeding on that blasted Lifestream tonight whether you like it or not._

(Same here.)

Where's the nearest town? It's been awhile since I've had wholesale slaughter of innocence.

Death Gigas gave the mental equivalent of a sigh. /Just stick your finger in a light socket for a few seconds and I'll be fine. That's what you did last time, and it was terribly amusing. /

'No it wasn't! Cloud thought I was suicidal and perhaps insane, and threatened to put me in an asylum. If you're that desperate for power, than let's go to the generator downstairs where there's a door with a lock.'

_What about us, Valentine!_

Another sigh. 'Tonight we'll go to that rise or the gulley where the Lifestream gathers, or…

Three voices rang as one. _c_( The Nibel Mountains!) _c_

'ARE YOU INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!'

LATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATERLATER

Vincent waited until he was sure the others were asleep before he made his move. It was the work of seconds to buckle his cloak on, and the weight of both Cerberus and Death Penalty were comforting. If he was going to be spending anytime in the Nibel Mountains, he was going to make very sure he was well armed. For, as usual, the demons got their way in feeding choice. And it wasn't as though it was a bad idea. In the Nibel Mountains Lifestream flowed more clearly than any other place within a few hours flight. But the place was also brimming with Mako energy, and it made him wary. Mako attracted the wrong sorts of creatures for one ex-Turk to deal with. Even with the help of demons, such creatures were dangerous and a hassle to deal with. It would do no good to survive the feeding of his demons only to be killed by some traveling creature. So he would need to be cautious. Of course, there was always the part about the mountain's proximity to Nibelheim, which he loathed and despised with every fiber of his being. So as he crept down the stairs, Vincent was not happy.

His mood was not lightened by the strong arms wrapping around his waist, or the unmistakable voice of a certain ex-soldier whispering in his ear.

"Why are you up, Vincent? And why are you wearing that cloak? I thought you'd put actual pajamas."

Caught, Vincent turned. Cloud nestled himself comfortably against Vincent's chest, perfectly content to wait for an answer.

"Chaos and the others need to feed. I'm going to where food is more favorable."

"And where is that?"

"The Nibel Mountains."

"WHA…!"

Vincent, in desperation, clamped his lips over Cloud's. The blond's eyes opened wide, and he pulled away reluctantly. Cloud loved Vincent's kisses more than anything, and cutting one off short did not make him exceedingly happy.

"Why the Nibel Mountains? Surely there are other places closer where they could eat."

"Never argue with demon logic." Vincent said, sighing with a sagely nod of his head. "It'll only give you a headache, and you'll be no better off than you were."

"O…kay then. Do you want to take Fenrir? It'll be faster."

Vincent grimaced. "Not particularly. I'll let Chaos stretch his wings, and be back in the morning." He kissed Cloud again, running a hand through his blond spikes. "Go back to sleep."

"Fine, but you have to cook breakfast. I vote pancakes. For all 10 of us."

Rolling his eyes and grinning, Vincent slipped out and the door.

A/n: Sorry about the wait. This is one of the longest chapter's I've ever written, though, so I hope it makes up for it.


	4. Chapter 4

Haunted by the Past 4 Captured

Chaos/Vincent flew high above the ground, hidden from anyone on the ground by dark clouds. Though it would take days on foot or by chocobo, but on the wings of a demon it took less than an hour. In the light of a full moon the Nibel mountains seemed to glow, and the minute Chaos landed he began to feed off it. In this powerful mixture of Lifestream and Mako, the demons could make weak versions of their own forms, absorbing energy on their own and saving time. Only Death Gigas stayed within Vincent, having fed on the electrical energy of a lamp post on the way. Without his demons, the gunman felt wonderfully empty, though far too weak to move much. The area was still crawling with monsters, and Vincent found it amusing that both Chaos and the Galien Beast were keeping track of how many they caught. The rich life forms were a sort of dessert for them, and they couldn't get enough o f them. Hellmasker was making it easier on them by hacking apart any monster he found, gorging himself on their blood and souls, leaving the bodies to his fellows. Even Death Gigas ventured out to have one, though he returned soon after. The demon did not enjoy venturing out, unless called up for battle.

The rag tag group had been in the mountains for almost an hour when Vincent felt it. Someone's approach. The stranger was powerful, and radiated an aura of…loathing. Dread gripped him, and he hauled himself to his feet. Death Penalty would have better for the situation, but in his weakened state the long rifle was beyond him. Instead he raised Cerberus, backing up until he was braced by a near dead tree. He knew that person, knew the only person who's aura felt so cold.

"Good to see you." Drawled a low, cold voice. "Vincent Valentine."

FARFARAWAYFAFARFARAWATFARFARAWAYFARFARAWAYFARFARAWAYFARFAR

_Cloud was once again helpless as Sephiroth descended toward his love. This time, however, Vincent was not about to go taken down from behind. Even as Sephiroth charged, Vincent's limit breaker shone through, and Death Gigas appeared. Sephiroth was immediately trapped in the demon's live wire attack, electricity making the air hum. The general stumbled back for a second, then rushed forward again, Masamume held high. The demon withstood the first three attacks, but On the fourth it faded, leaving Vincent alone. The ex-Turk emptied Cerberus' chamber at Sephiroth, slashing out with his claw when the bullets ran dry. Sephiroth was held at bay for a time, and Vincent tried to summon Bahumut Alas, it did no good. The dark angel shot forward before Vincent could finis, blade flashing. Vincent fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding. Sephiroth smirked, turning to face Cloud. Even in the dream, the blond could feel the look. "I warned you, fool. You are not aloud to love. And now I shall truly give you despair." With as little effort as it took to raise an arm, Sephiroth picked up Vincent, vanishing into the darkness. He heard the other demons roar for a second, but then they too were cut off._

Cloud awoke in a cold sweat. He knew, _knew_, that this was no normal nightmare. Behind him, the sun had risen and was casting it's rays across the land. Vincent had not returned. He couldn't return. Sephiroth was holding him captive. Cloud stumbled around, dressing as fast as he could before scooping up his sword and bolting for the door. He pounded on the walls of the other's rooms, his typical way of waking them up in a hurry when they had hunted Sephiroth. As expected, the other members tumbled out of their rooms, most already grasping weapons. Before they could ask what was going on, Cloud spoke.

"Something's happened to Vincent! He's in trouble, and needs our help really badly. Cid, is the 'Highwind ' ready for a flight to Nibelheim?"

"Yeah, ya bet yer life on it, but what's so damn important?"

Cloud didn't hesitate. "Something –or someone- attacked Vincent last night as his demons feed on the Lifestream in the Nibel Mountains. And whoever it was is holding him prisoner Get dressed and get your weapons. The trail is getting colder every minute!"

Ten minutes later the entire group was in the foyer. Cloud had checked to make sure that both his sword and materia were well placed, then ook a quick look at his crew. Shera was staying behind to look after Denzel and Marlene, but everyone else was ready. He turned to open the door- and got the shock of his life.

"So nice of you to rouse yourselves." Chaos drawled, claws gouging furrows in the door frame. Behind him, Hellmasker and the Galien Beast were gripping what was left of a materia. "Now, to quote the Wutian brat. "Give me your materia."


	5. Chapter 5

Haunted by the Past- Travel troubles

"So, yer tellin' me that Sephiroth, _Sephiroth,_ silver haired freak who tried to destroy the ' planet, kidnapped Vince? And we have no idea where he is?"

Chaos dug his claws into the Contain material Yuffie had lent him, letting the condensed mako feed him. Without a host-human or planet- the demon was practically useless. Both Hellmasker and the Galien Beast were having a better time with it than Chaos, but they were not as connected to the planet as Chaos. He'd have to return to his grotto normally, but at this point he didn't have the strength to. If the material wasn't keeping him alive, he would have faded already. The process had really already begun.

"That's what I've been telling you for the last two days, Highwind!" Chaos snarled, wings snapping open as he stood. "Now stop repeating me and find the cretin!"

The cabin went silent, members of AVALANCHE trying very hard to subtly back away from the demon. Chaos sighed, sliding back to the floor. "Omega curse it, I can't go on like this. We need to find Valentine, fast. The broad apologizes too much for my taste."

"Why is it so important to find him, for your sake? I thought, as a demon you'd be able to sustain yourself on…well, anything."

"No. The planet is my host, or Valentine. His own part of the Lifestream feeds me."

Silence fell again. The 'Shera' hummed through the air, bringing them closer to…, well, they weren't sure what they were going to. And that was the problem. Seeing that there was nothing else he had to offer, Cloud went to his room. He collapsed onto the bed, cuddling a red cloth to him. If he buried his face into the cape, he could almost catch Vincent's rich scent. It was a wonderful combination of gunpowder, mahogany and whatever body wash the gunman used. It brought tears to his eyes, the thought that he might never again hold the bearer of the cloak. He might never see Vincent again, save for a still body stretched out on the ground, red eyes glazed in death as he waited for help that would never come…No. Cloud shook his head. He didn't want to think about that. How could he find Vincent? Yes that was a better thought. That was…

"Chaos!" Cloud raced through the halls of the ship, calling for the demon. "Chaos, were are you?"

"What do you want, mortal?" The demon was huddled in the cargo bay, curled up in the darkest corner of the ship he could find.

"You said you fed off Vincent's life force? Shouldn't you be able to sense it?"

"I can't, chocobo head."

"Why not?"

"No host, no energy. How many times must I explain this to you people?"

"Than can you host in me?"

Chaos went silent, golden eyes narrowed. "You're desperate, aren't you." It wasn't a question.

"I love him."

Another staring contest ensued, but this time Chaos looked away first. Something in the mortal's eyes frightened him, for it spoke of determination and anger. And even if that anger was not directed at him, it was still like Hojo's. Vincent was not the only one tormented by memories of the scientist. The demon hasn't enjoyed the experience of being amputated from his grotto and being shoved into a mortal anymore than Vincent had enjoyed having his chest sliced open and having Chaos shoved into him. So they bore a mutual hatred of the scientist, and many boring years in the coffin were spent plotting slow and horrible deaths for the 'good' doctor.

"It'll hurt, you know. And Valentine will probably kill us both for it later."

"I don't care."

"Fine then. Hold still and try not to scream too loud."

Chaos folded his wings, absorbed every last bit of the materia's energy and placed one slender claw on Cloud's neck. A gentle push drew blood and Chaos let it pool in his claws before lapping it up. His eyes glowed brighter for a moment, then he was gone. In that instant Cloud felt a presence in his mind, so frighteningly like the feeling of Sephiroth controlling his mind that he screamed, hands gripping his head as he stumbled around the room. Chaos settled quickly into a part of his mind, drawing himself as far from Cloud's consciousness as he could. The blond collapsed to the floor, tears streaming from his eyes and he gasped for breath.

_I told you it would hurt._ Chaos murmured, quietly letting his power crawl over his new hosts mind. It numbed the pain coursing through the blonde's veins, letting him breath normally again. _Now calm down. I'm going to find your lover._

Before the blonde could respond, Tifa burst in. "Cloud, what's wrong! I heard screaming and….and…oh, you're bleeding! What happened?"

"_Shut up, woman!"_

Tifa jumped back, terrified. "Chaos?! What are you doing! Get out of Cloud now!" She raced from the room, screaming for the others. Chaos gave a mental sigh. _Well, that went well. In other news, I found your boyfriend. He's in the Forest of the Ancients, where those clones held Tseng and Elena. If we hurry, we can get there in a few hours._

'Then let's get going!'

"Alright, ya fuckin' demon, get out now." Cid's tone was low and dangerous. "Now, or you're gonna get real acquainted with my Venus Gospel."

"Cid, stop! He's here because I asked him to be."

"Shut up ya demon foo'" Barret lifted his gun arm, eyes narrowed.

_I see this as a bad thing._

'Yeah, me too. Can you get us out of here?'

_ Yes. Hang on, I need my form. Ready?_

'Is it going to hurt?'

_Only for a minute._

Chaos' presence roared through Cloud's mind. Within seconds the demon was fought his way through the semi-open cargo hatch, wings spread as he flew through the gathering dusk. It wouldn't take long for him to reach the Ancients Forest, and then Sephiroth was in for a world of hurt.


	6. Chapter 6

Haunted by the Past- Explanations

Vincent awoke in extreme pain. His torso was on fire, and he felt as if part of him had been torn out. For a frightening moment he thought that he was back under the 'care' of Hojo. Surely the bastard was sadistic enough for something like that. But Hojo didn't have long silver hair, cat like green eyes and a death glare to rival his own. No, those specifications belonged to one General Sephiroth. And said general was currently him giving said death glare from across the clearing.

"Vincent Valentine. You've caused me a bit of trouble, the last few hours."

"Sephiroth. You don't give up, do you?"

"Should I?"

"Hmm. Depends on your viewpoint."

The general smirked, glare vanishing. He walked over to where Vincent lay, held down by chains and a _resist_ materia. The slash on his chest was more efficient then the bonds though; the pain mad him immobile, and the fact that Chaos was gone took away from his healing abilities. Death Gigas had done his best, but the demon wasn't truly grafted as deeply as Chaos had been. Sephiroth wound one hand in the other man's black hair, lifting Vincent's face to his own.

"You know, I've no quarrel with you. I'll let you go. Go live your life, enjoy immortality. It's fun when you give it a chance. You and I shouldn't even be here."

Vincent's voice was cold and mocking. "No quarrel? That's such a load off my mind, General. If we've no quarrel, then release these bonds."

"Forgoe your relationship with Cloud and I shall. I'll even give you my blessing in finding someone else."

"Die, Lifestream scum."

Sephiroth grabbed Vincent's hair again, green eyes darkning. "You would ruin Mother's plan for_ love_? You are too loyal, Vincent Valentine." Suddenly, he smirked. "Much too loyal. In fact, I would think that the thought of being intimate with anyone else repulses you. You'd never betray Cloud like that." Without warning he smashed his lips against the gunman's, enjoying the fight Vincent gave. Oh yes, he could break Cloud. He wouldn't let Vincent walk away unscathed, either. The gunman would never be able to be intimate with Cloud agsin without remembering Sephiroth. Then Vincent would leave, and Cloud would be too heart broken to fight off Sephiroth's control. Yes, this could work.

"Don't worry, Vincent. I'll make sure you're not lonely while Cloud comes looking for you."


	7. Chapter 7

Haunted by the Past- Exhaustion and Reunion

The sun was just touching it's zenith when Chaos/Cloud landed. The demon hated flying in sunlight, but he had pushed on for the blonde's sake. They both knew that if Avalanche caught up with them it would spell trouble, and neither wanted to deal with that right now, but he had gone as far as he dared. Cloud bit back a cry as he regained control, collapsing against a pale tree.

'So…what do we do now?'

_Wait until nightfall. I am most powerful then, and Galien will be here. He is an invaluable ally for such an attack._

'What about Hellmasker?'

_No control. He'd rush in to attack and kill them both without meaning too. No, he's better at catching Sephiroth is he tries to escape._

'Alright. So at nightfall we attack?'

_ Yes. Well, I attack. You just stay quiet like a good temporary host and let me claw pretty boy's eyes out._

'…Ok. Then rest, and I'll get some sleep too. I don't want Vincent to be in Sephiroth's clutches any longer than necessary.'

Sleepisareconcilingaresthatsleepbegetsdothnotthesunrisesmilingerenowthatsleepbegetsrestyouthenrestsadeyesmeltnotinweepingwhilesheliessleepingsoftlysoftlynow

Cloud awoke to Chaos' disgruntled muttering and a hand shaking his shoulder.

"Wake yer fuckin' ass up, spike, 'fore you sleep th' entire fuckin' night away."

"….Cid?"

Nah, I'm just the fuckin' toothfairy. A course it's me, fuckin' chocobo head!"

"….Oh. M' still tired…..going back to sleep."

"Wakey wakey, mortal! Chas will be angry if he doesn't have any fun. Won't you, o less than mighty lord of darkness?"

"_Galien. Took you long enough."_

"Well, we can't all travel around by bubble, can we?"

_"You've been watching TV again. I told you it would rot your mind."_

" But Chaooooooos!"

_"Enough. Tell me, what's pretty boy doing, and when are you ready to attack?"_

The Galien Beast went dead silent. Cid and Barret had backed away, neither wanting to be within Cloud/Chaos' proximity when they heard the news.

"He…he's been doing the mortal spawning thing to Valentine, but I don't think Valentine agreed to it. You know mortal words better than me, Chaos."

_" So, Sephiroth has been raping Valentine. He has a death wish, doesn't he. Hold on, let me calm down the mortal."_

'I'm not just going to 'calm down' while Sephiroth is out there….. And hurting Vincent…. Let's kill the asshole now!'

_Love your logic. Now, if I let you go will you promise to be a good little mortal and not attack that meany until you've gotten your little friends together? They've killed the silver haired bastard once already, and undead reunions are so much fun._

'Whatever.'

_Don't you dare turn into a monosyllabic angst bucket like Valentine! I can only deal with one of those at a time!_

'Don't call him a monosyllabic angst bucket!'

_I'll call him whatever I want, mortal! Now go gather the pawns….err… AVALANCHE. We don't have a lot of time._

When Cloud's eyes opened again, the gold tint had faded, letting cold blue eyes meet Cid's. "Go get everyone else. And tell them to bring their weapons. Sephiroth dies."


	8. Chapter 8

Haunted by the Past- Response and Retribution

Vincent lay perfectly still, exhaustion gripping him harder than the Materia bonds as he tried to block everything from his mind. Death Gigas had done his best to deter any memory of Sephiroth's…fun, but the demon could only do so much. After that he left the distractions up to Vincent. _That_ went well. For the first time in…well, ever, Death Gigas was beginning to miss the other demons. They could have distracted the gunman perfectly. No, scratch that. They could have ripped that little silver bastard to shreds and still gotten back in time for breakfast. By midnight, both demon and human had fallen into a depressing angst session. By the time Sephiroth had returned the two were silently bemoaning everything in life. At least Vincent's mind was far away from the whole rape fiasco. And if Sephiroth deicded to come back for more, Death Gigas had a few lovely drinking songs sure to make Vincent laugh.

MEANWHILEMEANWHILEMEANWHILEMEANWHILEMEANWHILEMEANWHILE MEANWHILEMEANWHILEMEANWHILE

AVALANCHE was silent as they moved through the forest. Their most dangerous enemy was only a few yards ahead of them, and the element surprise was worth the effort of staying quiet. Tifa and Yuffie were just behind the others, both holding cure materia at the ready. It was in the best interests of all that Yuffie didn't know about Vincent's condition, for the ninja had grown protective of her friends and would be devastated at the news. Tifa knew, and her paleness was not all due to fear. But she held firm, for she knew just as well as anyone else that Sephiroth would have no qualms about killing their friend. Vincent's life now lay in their ability to move swiftly and silently. They would not fail him.

Cloud led the party. He and Chaos were talking to each other silently, comparing notes on location and keeping tabs on Galien and Hellmasker. The former was moving behind Tifa, ready for any ambush Sephiroth might make. You couldn't trust the general to play fair by any rules, which was just the demon's style anyway. Occasionally he and Yuffie would catch each others gaze; Galien nodding to show that they were secure from the back and Yuffie shaking her head to show that there was no sign of their attack. Hellmasker was next to Cid, both with weapons at the ready. The demon knew that he was not to attack until Sephiroth tried to escape. In the heat of battle he could often not distinguish friend from foe, and that was not what they needed right now. Cid was more than a little nervous at the prospect of walking next to the demon, but he ignored it and focused on the task that lay ahead. Fear wasn't something that he needed right now, especially not toward an ally.

Finally Cloud signaled a halt. The group hefted their weapons, waiting. 

"I thought for sure I heard footsteps." Cloud muttered, Buster Sword at the ready. " Maybe…"

"Back here, mortals!" Galien snarled, slashing forward. His back had been turned to Avalanche, and that's what saved their life. Sephiroth scowled at the demon as he pulled Masamume free of the pale earth.

"I didn't appreciate that, you know."

"I know, 2nd rate pretty boy. That's why I'm here."

"2nd rate!"

"Yes, bad hair day. 2nd rate. You only have one wing, remember?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the Galien Beast, but my friends call me Galien. You can call me High Master of the Universe, Lord Galien Beast if you like."

"I'll have to decline."

"Suit yourself. Now sheathe the katana and get Valentine, Sephy-poo."

"Again, I'll have to decline."

"Bad move." While Galien had been goading Sephiroth, Avalanche had been putting their plan into action. Yuffie and Tifa had slipped off to get Vincent back to the airship, while Barret, Cid, Nanaki and Cloud had slid into position for an attack. When the Galien Beast lunged forward, Barret and Cid were on either side of him. Cloud and Nanaki were the second wave of attack, Nanaki breaking at least one of his enemy's ribs before he was flung aside, leaving Sephiroth still trying to change his stance when Cloud rushed forward. Steel met steel as both swordsmen clashed. But even scratched and battered, Sephiroth was not weak. Within moments the buster sword was buried in a pale tree, and the silver haired man had rushed forward to knock his prey out. He raised Masamume- and stopped, eyes wide.

Chaos' black claws closed around the sword, fangs open wide into a smile.

"Hello, Sephiroth. It's been too long."

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I've been busy with tests. I'll try to get another chapter up before the week is over, but I might be in Florida for Spring Break, so no promises. And… maybe leave a review? They make my day. 


	9. Chapter 9

Haunted by the Past-Battle

Sephiroth stood frozen for a moment, shock and fear written across his face. Then he smirked, though not as confidently as before.

"Chaos. Found a new home, I see. Tire of Valentine already? It's only been what...thirty years?"

"Thirty-four. You would know, since you count the days since you saw dear old daddy. Hojo never was one for parenting, was he?"

"Silence! That man was not my father! I have no father!"

"No, you're probably right. He was more likely a lover, if what I saw the two of you doing was any indication…"

"We were not lovers! He was a pedophile who raped an unwilling victim!"

"Like father like son, don't you think?"

"Go to Hell!"

What happened next would haunt Cloud for the rest of his life. Sephiroth raised the Masamume high, rushing into one of his infamous jumps-and Chaos leapt to meet him. The attack was incomplete, useless, as Sephiroth's face came into close contact with the ground. It was only the general's quick reflexes that saved him from a four clawed decapitation. Chaos kept moving, claws extended as he sought to kill the pest in front of him. Beyond their range, Hellmasker and the Galien Beast stood ready. It was unlikely (read: impossible) that Chaos would lose, but Sephiroth could easily flee from the area. And if he did, the demons wouldn't hesitate to take action.

In a move fueled by luck and panic, Sephiroth managed to drag his sword across Chaos' chest. The demon leaped backward, snarling furiously. The general felt some of his old confidence returning, and he stepped forward to finish the fight. He never imagined that Chaos' claw would end up through his throat, or that Masamume would see the inside of his chest. It mattered not; such wounds could not kill him. Chaos obviously did not like the Contain Materia that Sephiroth cast, and that allowed him another hit against the demon. The general may have been bleeding from the neck and chest, his vision may have been growing blurry, but he would be damned that he would lose to Chaos. It would mean the loss of everything mother had planned. It would mean that he had failed in his venture to control Cloud.

Speaking of which, said blond swordsman had regained control. Exhausted limbs heaved the buster sword out of the ground as Cloud staggered toward Sephiroth. Chaos may be the superior in strength, but Cloud would be the one to vanquish Sephiroth once and for all.

"Burn in Hell for what you did to Vincent, Sephiroth. You and that damned Jenova wench."

"Don't you dare speak of mother that way…."

The general fell silent for the last time as Cloud buried the sword into his enemy's chest. Silver eyes faded and glazed over and Cloud stepped back, sickened and sore. Galien caught him as he collapsed, exchanging glances with Hellmasker before leading the way back to the airship. They had spent enough time in this forest. It was time to go home.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed:

Aeriths-Rain

Knyghtshade

Jess E.D

Siriuslynotserious

Libsrevenge

Xcreepiexsusiex

Jamiaca

Kai-Kakashi

Rayvne Rayne

Servants of SHEVAL

You guys are awesome, and you make this so much more fun to write. Now, I need your help one more time. Well, actually twice more. 1) Should I write a story (oneshot) focusing on what happened to Vincent, or should I consolidate it in the next chapter and 2) Can anyone draw their version of Cloud/Chaos? If you do, can you put it on deviantart or send it to me or something? My email is if you want to just send it there. I can't draw to save my life, so I just thought I'd ask. Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10

Haunted by the Past- The Road to Recovery 

Cloud stared down at the sleeping form of his love, silent tears welling in his eyes. Vincent had been hurt so badly, treating so cruelly… and Sephiroth had won. Vincent couldn't stand to be touched, even by Cloud; it sent his body into instantaneous defense mode, and it was hard to talk him out of it. Cloud had only had the incident occur once, when Vincent had first woken up. After that he had avoided the gunman as much as possible. Vincent probably didn't even know where Chaos was, much less that he was inside Cloud. The demon had been subdued of late, resting inside the body of yet another monosyllabic angst bucket. Those types were getting boring. And he didn't even have anyone else to talk to.

So Cloud had made a decision. He was leaving. He would go to the Nibel Mountains so he and Chaos could separate, and he would leave. Vincent didn't need Cloud around making him edgy. This was the first time in a week that the gunman had even slept, and the sight broke Cloud's heart. He silently laid a folded paper on the pillow, gently kissed Vincent's cheek, and walked out of the room. Chaos was shifting uneasily inside of him, and Cloud knew the demon was contemplating his next words.

_I don't know if that's wise._

'I don't care. He doesn't need me around making life hard for him.'

_ He's going to go angst again when you leave, and then the woe is me will start up again. If I have to lock him in the coffin again, I will never forgive you._

Cloud stopped dead. 'What do you mean, 'again'?'

_I mean that it was me and Galien who locked Valentine in the coffin the first time. He was going to kill himself when human female died, and we didn't feel like finding another host. We told him it was Hojo, to keep things going well between us._

'You don't think he'll try to do that again, do you?'

_ Hmm…I don't know. But if he does, H.M, Galein , Death and I are hosting in you._

'Death…? Death Gigas! Can he keep Vincent from being rash?'

_Probably. But like I said, this isn't wise._

'But it's for the best.'

_Take your word for it._

(Weep no more sad fountains, why need you flow so fast? Doth not the snowy mountains heaven's sun doth quickly waste? Rest you then. )

Chaos' leavetaking was short and relatively painless, and Cloud was not sorry to be rid of him. His body and mind were weary, and he still had a long way to go before he could sleep. He could make it to Kalm in a day's time, and stay at 7th heaven for a time. Tifa would probably let him stay for a few days. Until he got his strength up. Nanaki had promised him a home and work in Cosmo Canyon, where his skill with understanding Mako would be needed. He would stay there for as long as he needed to. Maybe one day he would see Vincent again, but….Maybe. Maybe.

A/N: Two chapters in almost as many minutes! I'm on a roll!


	11. Chapter 11

Haunted by the Past- The End?

Chaos/Vincent soared through the night, gold eyes trained on the ground.

'How far could he have gotten in a few hours? Why didn't you stop him!'

_I tried, monosyalla…_

'Don't even go there, flyboy. You don't want to mess with me.'

_Someone got up on the wrong side of the fountain of Angst._

'…'

_Come on, not even a reaction? I'm hurt._

'You should be….There his is!'

Chaos obediently folded his wings and dove to the ground, skimming a few feet above the grass before he landed. Cloud was sound asleep against Fenrir, motorcycle illuminated by the dying remains of a past fire. Vincent silently regained his own form, kneeling gently next to his love. It was too hard to be touched, too hard to endure the memories of Sephiroth's treatment. But it hurt even more to imagine the rest of his life without Cloud. He didn't even want to try. So instead he laid down, curling himself against the swordsman's chest and going to sleep. Cloud wasn't Sephiroth. Cloud wouldn't let anything bad happen to him.

_Vincent fought wildly against Sephiroth's touch, fangs scoring several long cuts on the general's face. He __**did not**__ want this man touching him. That was wrong, so wrong. This man was awful, the reason his life had spiraled out of control. Sephiroth was the reason Lucretcia had dabbled into Jenova science, the reason Hojo had 'killed' him. It was this monsters fault. Death Gigas, stirred by the hatred coursing through Vincent, added his strength to the struggles, and Sephiroth retreated. _

_"Come now, don't fight me. After all, we've known each other for so long. I think Cloud would understand. Don't you?"_

_"I think you'd look lovely with a buster blade through your back. I'm sure Cloud would be happy to oblidge."_

_"So resentful. You really need to learn to respect your betters."_

_"Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Now get off me."_

_"No such luck. I'd rather get inside you."_

_"Go to hell, Jenova Test subject 4T6O1."_

_"I have a name, you know. I'll have you screaming it in a few hours."_

_Sephiroth's mouth found Vincent's again, tongue roughly exploring the gunman's mouth. He used his weight to push the other man into the ground, straddling Vincent's hips. The movement sent pain coursing through the ex-Turk's body, weakening the gunman's struggles. Sephiroth made short work of both their clothes, forgoing any lube and thrusting himself into Vincent. Their 'kiss' muffled Vincent's shouts as Sephiroth moved, hands rudely exploring the other man's body. The general was doing his best to make any kind of contact repulsive to Vincent, and it was working. When he tired of their game, Sephiroth wrapped his arms tight around Vincent, putting pressure on his ribs in a macabre version of a hug. Though the gunman was barely conscious, the agony and shame coated his mind, and even Death Gigas couldn't fight them away. _

_The next two days proceeded in the same manner. Vincent dreaded the heavy step of the general, dreaded the feeling of long fingers touching his clothes, for Sephiroth redressed him every time they finished, small comfort. Vincent knew that Sephiroth did not want to provoke Cloud's full anger, for he would lose control of the situation. By this time, the gunman knew his enemy's plans. He wanted to control Cloud, take control of the Planet in the name of Jenova. And Vincent was unwillingly helping._

_On the fourth day of his captivity, nothing happened. Sephiroth did not approach him, but it mattered not to Vincent. He was too shattered, physically and emotionally, too care. He was just beginning to slip into the shadows surrounding his vision when Tifa and Yuffie arrived, tears on their faces. Vincent was too weak too struggle as they carried him back to the Highwind, and was asleep by the time they dressed his wounds.The next face he would see was Cloud's, hurt and grieving when Vincent fought against his touch._

A/N: I do not like how this turned out, but doing the entire chapter just as the events taking place is impossible to write, so bear with me. The next chapter is the whole reason I wrote this story.


	12. Chapter 12

Haunted by the Past- Reconstruction

Cloud woke with the sun. His heart was still heavy, but he felt a little better. The night's sleep had given him a margin of hope. He would reach Kalm today and…and…Vincent?

The swordsman couldn't believe it. There, right next to him and snuggled close to his chest, was _Vincent_. Vincent was there, there with him. His Vincent was there. Cloud felt his eyes blur, and he fought the urge to wrap his arms around the man. Instead he sighed happily, buring his face into Vincent's ebony hair and going back to sleep.

(-)(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Vincent awoke somewhat after the sun. he was lazy, and would be the first to admit it. And he was also cold. Cloud had shifted, removing his source of warmth and light. Biting back of mixture of fear and unease he twisted himself over and wrapped his arms around Cloud. There, that wasn't so hard. Yes he was shaking violently, but that would pass. This wasn't Sephiroth. This was Cloud, his Cloud, his love. Snuggling closer to Cloud, Vincent also fell back to sleep.

(-)(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Alright. Now cloud was done resisting. Vincent woke with a squeak as Cloud wrapped his arms around the gunman, pulling the man closer to his chest.

"C…Cloud….can't….bre…breathe….stop…."

"No." Cloud replied happily, though he did loosen his hold on the other man. Slightly.

"I'm sorry I made you leave."

"I'm sorry I took Chaos without asking."

"…What!"

"He didn't tell you, did he? He he, oops?"

The most impressive race ever seen then happened, with Cloud Strife going as fast as Fenrir could drive, trying to escape a savagely angry Chaos who thought that he wouldn't have to deal with a possessively angry Vincent Valentine. Chaos won.

(-)(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Avalanche had another party nine months later. By then Vincent had gotten his reactions mostly under control, and Cloud had trained himself to not tap Vincent on the shoulder as much. Cid wanted to name the girl Chelsea, for various reasons. Shera would not name her only child after the women on her husband's ship, and chose Sarah. She said that it was a nice mix between their names. Cloud thought that Sarah more like Cid than Shera, and Tifa said his nose would heal soon enough. Vincent wisely thought that Sarah had her mothers eyes, and was allowed to hold the child. Cid thought that her middle name should be Avalanche, and the others (read: Barret) agreed. So Sarah Avalanche Highwind joined their merry party, Cloud would have a crooked nose for the rest of his life, and Vincent had fully recovered. Almost. And if he ever relapsed, Cloud promised to always be there.

A/N: Sigh. It's over. I'm sad. But there may be another story in it's footsteps, if I can drag myself to the note book of doom and write.


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